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The Toronto Blue Jays are ready for the 2022 MLB season and they need to have a good year. The Blue Jays were eliminated from playoffs last season due to being in the toughest division in baseball. To put it in perspective, four of the five teams in the Blue Jays division had more wins last season than the World Champion Atlanta Braves. Due to the rules, only 3 of them can make the playoffs, and unfortunately, the Jays were the odd team out. This season Toronto is determined to not only make the playoffs but prove they are a powerhouse to be reckoned with.
The Division
The path will not be easy though as the division has only gotten stronger. The New York Yankees stand as the kings of the division with the toughest lineup. Players like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, and Aroldis Chapman have been Yankee powerhouses for years. These stars have stacked the New York lineup and kept them a dominant team. Then, they decided to get even better in the past year. Players like Joey Gallo, Anthony Rizzo, & Josh Donaldson were added to an already great team. So, the Jays will have their hands full with the Yankees.
The Tampa Bay Rays were already a division-winning team last season. That was with their star Shortstop Wander Franco being a rookie. Now, with a full spring training behind him, Franco is set to be even better and that could cause trouble for the Blue Jays. The Rays have also added Pitcher Corey Kluber to the roster.
The Boston Red Sox are still a team to be worried about as their lineup has not gotten worse. Last season, for a big chunk of the year, the Red Sox were the leaders of the division until they fell off. They still managed to snatch the playoff from the Blue Jays and that very well could happen again.
The Young Core
It may seem like the top Blue Jays players are superstars, but don’t forget they are still young. Players like Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Alek Manoah, & Nate Pearson are very young for MLB standards. They have tons of room to grow and are only getting better year after year. This means that while the Jays may not always be adding to the lineup, they are constantly improving with experience. This is true as well for Blue Jays mega star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Speaking of the player commonly known as Vladdy…
The Job is not finished
After a historic and memorable year, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was primed to win the MVP award. He was the top hitter in the American League and led in a ton of stat categories. He was the Blue Jays’ leader. He was also easily the most valuable member of any team in the American League. Unfortunately, the voters for the MVP award thought that Shohei Ohtani’s ability to Pitch & Hit made him the MVP. In the minds of many, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was robbed of the honor. This season, he is coming back with a fury and is determined to win MVP. With Guerrero’s age, he is sure to be nowhere near his peak as an athlete.
The New Additions
The Blue Jays have added to their stellar lineup and are ready to take on the league. Over the offseason, the Blue Jays first signed right-hander José Berríos to a seven-year, $131 million extension. Berríos is a phenomenal young pitcher that is sure to add a lot to the starting rotation. But, Berríos was not the only pitcher added to the rotation for this season. The Blue Jays also acquired Kevin Gausman. Gausman was an all-star caliber pitcher that led the San Francisco Giants last season. He single-handedly led the Giants’ rotation to one of their best seasons in years. He hopes to do the same for a Blue Jays rotation that could use some consistency.
The Blue Jays then had to find someone to fill the infield hole left by Marcus Semien who is now a Texas Ranger. The Jays found their new player in Matt Chapman. They acquired him in a trade with the Athletics. The Athletics in return got five players including Pitcher Gunnar Hoglund. This strengthens the Blue Jays hitting lineup and defensive infield.
All these different storylines and moves will culminate in the 2022 MLB Season. Will the Blue Jays blow expectations out of the water, or will they suffer for being in the toughest division in baseball? All these questions will be answered in the coming months. The Blue Jays start their season on April 8th against the Texas Rangers.
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